Detroit City Council Meeting: April 16, 2026
Detroit City Council Meeting: April 16, 2026
This meeting of the Detroit City Council, presided over by Council President Pro Tempore Coleman A. Young II, opened with roll call, approval of minutes, and public comment from in-person and remote callers. Key topics included disparities in code enforcement, a veteran's complaint about a coercive container removal, a health fair announcement, and calls for a more transparent law department and separation of powers. The council also considered several resolutions for special events.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Mr. Foster (in-person): Spoke on behalf of a 77-year-old Vietnam veteran in Boston Edison (zip code 48202) who received a 10-day notice to remove a backyard container (used in lieu of a garage for eight years) or pay a $1,000 fine per week. Mr. Foster requested a cease-and-desist letter for the Buildings, Safety Engineering, and Environmental Department (BSEED) until equitable enforcement procedures are established. He highlighted hypocrisy, noting that downtown businesses operate container-based structures while the same practice is penalized in neighborhoods.
- William M. Davis (by phone): Urged the city to do more regarding dangerous and burnt trees on private property.
- Betty A. Varner (by phone): President of the Soda Ellsworth Block Association, announced a free health fair on April 18, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church (7151 Fenkell Avenue). Services include free eye exams, health screenings (from DMC and Detroit Community Health Connections), and some free glasses. She also requested corridor redevelopment funding for her area.
- Caller ending in 039 (by phone): Alleged widespread voter fraud in Detroit since 2020, claimed to have provided evidence to former President Donald Trump, and criticized the Detroit Police Department's homicide unit leadership. He expressed no confidence in the council.
- Cicely McCullum (by phone): Honored the late Councilmember JoAnn Watson, highlighting her achievements: the Domicile Credit ordinance (15 extra points for Detroiters passing the city test), the Detroit Residential Water Affordability Program, reparations advocacy, and envisioning an African Town in Detroit. She announced a street-naming celebration on April 17, 2026, from 2-4 p.m. at Central High School (2425 Tuxedo). Council President Pro Tempore Young recalled working for Watson and praised her legacy.
- Caller (stop the garbage mowing) (by phone): Complained about contractors mowing over garbage in the North End, selective enforcement by the Land Bank against residents but not favored developers (like North End Landing), and a specific building lacking a vacant building certificate despite peeling paint and debris.
- Ona Papa (by phone): Agreed with previous callers about disparity in city services and enforcement, criticized Councilmember Benson for promoting marijuana shops while claiming to care about children, and accused the council of reckless spending.
- Tyson Gersh (by phone): Called for the council to gain control over the Law Department, asserting that the mayor's office still controls it despite a charter reform that made the Law Department independent. He criticized the FOIA response as inadequate and demanded access to public documents.
- iPhone caller (by phone): Agreed with Gersh, advocated for transparency (using WBUR's transcript model as an example), and proposed randomly selecting citizens to serve in government for 12 months or two years to reduce political corruption.
Discussion Items
- Consent Calendar: The council approved the minutes after a motion was made with no objections. Additionally, item 5.1 (unfinished business) was received and filed after coordination with Councilmember McCampbell's office.
- New Business – Special Event Resolutions: The council moved the following items to formal session with recommendations for approval:
- Item 6.1: Detroit Greek Independence Day Committee request for the Greek Independence Day Parade on May 3, 2026, from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Greektown (setup 8 a.m.–12 p.m., teardown 8 p.m.–10 p.m.).
- Item 6.2: Petition of the People for Palmer Park to hold the Palmer Park Art Fair from June 6, 2026, to June 7, 2026, at Palmer Park (setup June 5 at 8 a.m. to June 6 at 10 a.m.; teardown June 7 at 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.).
- Item 6.3: Harambi's request for a "Silence to Violence" rally on June 6, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 231 East Grand Boulevard (setup 9–10 a.m., teardown 2–3 p.m.).
- Item 6.4: Bedrock Detroit's petition for Nick Gilbert Way Summer Activations from May 17, 2026, to September 30, 2026 (setup May 11 at 8 a.m. to May 17 at 12 p.m.; teardown October 1 at 8 a.m. to October 9 at 4 p.m.).
Key Outcomes
- Unanimous Approval of Minutes: No objections were raised.
- Item 5.1 Filed: Received and filed with consent from Councilmember McCampbell's office.
- Four Event Resolutions Moved to Formal Session: All four special event requests (Items 6.1–6.4) were moved to formal session with recommendations for approval. No objections were noted.
- Council Members' Reports: Councilmember Benson announced the Green Task Force Awards Breakfast on April 19, 2026, from 10 a.m. to noon at the People's Co-op on Woodward Avenue. Councilmember Miller announced a mandated district meeting with Mayor Sheffield and a resource fair on April 16, 2026 (resources 5:30–7 p.m., mayor's presentation 7–8:30 p.m.) in District 5.
Adjournment
The Neighborhood and Community Services Standing Committee was adjourned without objection.
Meeting Transcript
Order with a clerk, please call the roll. Council President Proton Coleman A Young the second. Here. Councilmember Scott Benson. Councilmember Renata Miller. Here. Mr. Church, you have a form present. All right, excellent. Is there a motion to approve the minutes? Motion. Motion's been made. Are any objections? Hearing none. The minutes are approved. All right. We will now go negative chair remarks. We will go to public comment. How many people do we have in person who want to give public comment? We see one person. I don't see anyone else. Going once, going twice, going three times, gone. All right, Mr. Foster. Come on up here. You here two minutes, sir. Oh, good afternoon through the chair. First off, it's good to see you all. I've been in this meeting at some time. But I did want to take some time out today. A veteran asked me if I still come down and he needed some assistance. 77-year-old Vietnam veteran disabled, living in the Boston Edison area, two blocks from Boston, 48202. The issue that you have is with coercive enforcement. And I agree that we have to deal with our elderly and our vulnerable in a more better fashion. He has a container in his backyard. It's been there for eight years. No issues at all. Is in lieu of a garage. Somebody came and left a card telling them that he had to move it within 10 days or pay a thousand dollar fine a week. No, uh no process, no hearing, no consideration of age or disability in these processes. And so I'm asking that BC um have a cease and desist letter until this party can find an equitable ground for the enforcement in our communities and particularly with our vulnerable and our citizens and more particularly with our veterans that have served this nation. Right. And so that's um what I did want to speak on. And then to add insult to injury, I enjoy downtown. I enjoy being on Peterborough. I go down to the comedy club down there. And it's a container factory. It's built out of containers, right? And sitting down there, somebody somehow they got uh opportunity to do business there, but then they would come in the community and find ways to penalize our community for the same things that they allow downtown or in the midgrade. So it's a hypocrisy until there's some equality there, or like a formal cease and desist letter until we can get those things situated.
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